Holi Then vs. Holi Now –

From Water Balloons to WhatsApp Forwards?

Holi – the festival of colors, chaos, and childhood nostalgia. There was a time when Holi meant waking up at 6 AM, armed with pichkaris, buckets of water, and a never-ending supply of mischief. Now? It's a polite message in the family WhatsApp group: “Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holi. Stay safe. Play dry.”

Colors of Holi

Holi Then: The Real War Zone

As kids, Holi was a battlefield. A week before, we’d start preparing our ammo—balloons filled with water, sometimes mixed with suspiciously dark colors (sorry, neighbors!). The best ones were left overnight to get that perfect splash effect.

Parents had given up on keeping us clean. The first rule of Holi? If you step out, you’re a target. No mercy. That one kid in society who thought he could get away without playing? He’d get special treatment—dragged out, colors dumped on his head, and then the ceremonial dunk in the water tub.

Gulaal was just the starter. The real fun began when the colored water started flowing. Water guns, garden hoses, and sometimes even full buckets launched from balconies—anything was fair game. By noon, we looked like walking rainbows, and our mothers had already begun cursing us under their breath about the impossible post-Holi bath.

And the food? Gujiyas, thandai (sometimes, accidentally, the special one), and a sugar rush that kept us hyper for hours. Life was simple. Holi was wild. And nobody cared about their skin or "organic colors."

Holi Now: Where’s the Madness?

Now, Holi starts with a debate—Are we even playing this year? Someone in the group chat always says, "Yaar, bas thoda sa tika laga lena. I don’t want to ruin my skin." Another one complains, "Office hai next day, yaar. Too much work!"

If you somehow convince your friends to celebrate, the scene is completely different. Everyone comes in their worst clothes but still cringes when they get color on them. No water balloons, no aggressive chases, and if you even think about pulling someone out of their house, be prepared for an angry rant about "boundaries."

The parties? Less about colors, more about selfies. You spend 15 minutes applying only dry, organic gulaal on each other, just enough to get a good Instagram post. The moment someone suggests using water, there’s that one friend who immediately protests, "Mere hair treatment kharab ho jayega!"

The biggest tragedy? Gujiyas have been replaced by kale smoothies because "too much sugar, bro." And bhang wali thandai? Now it's just a fancy overpriced cold coffee at a Holi-themed café.

What Changed?

Sure, we grew up. But did we have to get so boring? Somewhere between skincare routines, work deadlines, and "minimal mess" lifestyles, we lost the madness. Holi isn’t just about colors—it was about letting go, about forgetting our polished, structured lives for one day and embracing the chaos.

But don’t worry. There’s hope. Maybe, just maybe, this year, we put away our reservations, pick up that pichkari, and remind ourselves how much fun it used to be. Because let’s be real—deep down, we all miss it.

So, what’s the plan? Water balloons or WhatsApp forwards?